Blog Comments

Ryback actually had pretty good promos in FCW (when he was playing the goofy country boy). I think we saw some of this on NXT... "Yep Yep Yep, What it do?"

But you are right, guys like Edge and Christian NEVER got to do much talking. It wasnt until they finally got the TAG titles and the 5 second pose promos that we actually got to hear them speak... and these are two guys who are excellent on the mic. Taker didnt talk much if at all early in his career. Goldberg's promos were awful. Brock has actually improved since his stint in UFC, but early in his career, Heyman did all of the talking. Look at the Ultimate Warrior. His promos were pathetic.

Based on the Silverback / Skip Sheffield promos... I know Ryback can speak and be fairly entertaining. I'm not to worried about this. He's about as old skewl as there is in the WWE.

1. when you get into Goldberg, you basically write exactly what Ryback is...yet in the beginning, you state you shake your head when people mock him with the Goldberg chant. I feel you're failing to recognize that he's a recycled Goldberg. Plain and Simple. Vince and WWE know that too, which is why they mimic the quick camera pull up and close up on him at the top of the ramp with his entry, and have him staring at the camera after every power move. I personally have never said anything about him not being able to cut a promo, because there are very few who can do that these days. *Ready my blog on Talking vs Cutting Promo*

2. "Perhaps you youngins don't remember way back when the Undertaker came onto the WWF scene. I do. And I remember thinking "how f'in stupid is this character." A big guy wearing oversized rubber gloves with too much pale makeup on, barely taking bumps."

Something tells me you weren't actually thinking that back then. I, too, am a fan who grew up in those times, with Undertaker being my all time favorite wrestler. But unlike the analytical fans of today, who can't just enjoy the show for what it is, we always just enjoyed things as pure fans. I doubt you worried about his make up and how he takes bumps. That's what Zigglites of today worry about. We didn't think about taking bumps, how well they sell moves, or how well they cut promos. We just knew who was the good guy, who was the bad guy, and who we liked and wanted to see win.

but why do we not chastise flair and hogan for taking others gimmicks after they retired?

There's a difference in being "given" a gimmick and "taking" a gimmick with the blessing of someone. Personally, the similarity is as simple as the 30 second matches to build him as unstoppable against people he should destroy anyway, just like Goldberg. Using a more basic move as a secondary option when he can't preform his primary (Goldberg had the Spear to his Jackhammer... Ryback has the Lariat to his Shell Shock). Third, they are booking him the same way they booked Goldberg. Still have yet to see Ryback in a match longer than 7 mins. In his first 6 months, did we see any Goldberg matches that went longer than 7 mins?

Sorry, there are a lot of things similar to Goldberg, but that doesn't mean Ryback can't break out of that mold. It will take giving some more to the character than this "robot-like" character that no one can attatch emotions too... Only chants.